


One or Two

by Im_The_Doctor (Bofur1)



Series: Culture Shock [2]
Category: Doctor Who
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hugs, Monsters Beneath the Bed, Secret Crush, Shadows - Freeform, Suspicions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-12
Updated: 2014-02-12
Packaged: 2018-01-12 02:51:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1181042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bofur1/pseuds/Im_The_Doctor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sarah Jane believes there's something underneath her bed. At first The Doctor dismisses her worry as childish, but the monster turns out to be something more dangerous than anything they expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One or Two

_I hope this goes well...haven’t known this Doctor for very long...don’t know how he’ll react..._

Sarah Jane tiptoed timidly toward The Doctor, whose attention was fully on the TARDIS controls.

“Um, Doctor?”

“Yes, what is it? I’m trying to work,” he asked distractedly, punching a button.

“I think something’s invaded the TARDIS,” Sarah Jane burst out.

The Doctor whirled at that, eyes wide. “What?! How long have you had this suspicion? Is there evidence?!”

“Well, I’m not exactly _positive_ ,” Sarah backpedaled hastily, “but I keep hearing things under my bed.” She gulped, realizing how childish that sounded. Indeed, The Doctor instantly slumped against the console, pressing a hand to his forehead. After a few moments he straightened again, his face hard. Even the ruffles on his shirt bristled as though they shared his frustration.

“Sarah Jane Smith, aren’t you too old for this?!” His tone was more than a bit sharp and Sarah flinched, trying to explain better.

“I keep hearing creaking noises—!”

“No. _No!_ I don’t want to hear it!”

Gnawing on her lower lip, Sarah Jane slunk away to find something to eat.

Late that night, after the record they were listening to ended, The Doctor and Sarah Jane sat in silence.

“Well, you should probably get some sleep.” The Doctor eventually announced, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

Sarah made a discomfited noise and shifted awkwardly in answer. The Doctor rolled his eyes and leapt to his feet.

“Fine, fine! I’ll check underneath your bed for monsters if it will console you.”

Sarah Jane nodded, half-ashamed of her relief at his words. She stood also and gripped The Doctor’s arm as he strode down one of the TARDIS’s many halls.

“This is your room, then?” The Doctor asked, gesturing toward a closed door.

“Shouldn’t you know? It’s your TARDIS.” Sarah was genuinely surprised.

“Well, so far I have never and after this point _will_ never have any need to go in your room, will I?” The Doctor asked, his steady gaze and steady logic looking down on Sarah Jane.

“No, suppose not,” Sarah Jane murmured. She wondered if he knew the feelings that warmed her insides whenever they interacted, even if it was to argue or check for things under the bed.

Taking a deep breath, The Doctor opened the door and went inside. Sarah let his arm slip out of her grasp as she followed, watching him with uneasy eyes as he moved toward the bed.

“Tell me again what you heard,” he requested as he fished out his sonic screwdriver.

“Creaking and a sort of hushing,” Sarah answered anxiously. As The Doctor knelt down on the floor, she pleaded, “Be careful, Doctor.”

“I’m always careful,” The Doctor retorted, which of course was a lie, but Sarah Jane had no time to contradict him. As he reached his arm beneath the bed, The Doctor found his screwdriver ripped from his fingers. Not even a second later, it disappeared out of existence.

“Agh! Sarah, get back _now_!” The Doctor hollered, scrambling away from the bed.

“Doctor, what’s wrong?!” Sarah Jane asked in alarm as he seized her arm and hauled her back down the hall toward the control room.

“Get in the light, get in the light!”

Sarah didn’t really have any choice, as The Doctor turned the lights to full power and placed her directly under one.

“Stay right there! By Rassilon, don’t move!” The Doctor gasped, his face deathly pale and his entire form shaking. Sarah had never seen him so panicked.

“W-What is it?! What’s that thing under my bed?!” Sarah Jane demanded. The Doctor didn’t answer right away, his fingers flying across the console.

“Alright, that room was deleted,” The Doctor announced tensely.

“But all my things were in there—!” Sarah protested.

“We can get you new things. In the meantime, show me your shadow!”

Sarah Jane gestured and The Doctor leapt from his illuminated area to hers. Cautiously he leaned over and examined the dark patch at her feet.

“One...oh, you’ve got one,” he breathed in relief. Then he straightened, his entire posture grim.

“Sarah, I need you to check mine. Lean over, don’t let our shadows cross, but tell me how many I have. Do I have two?”

Sarah Jane was utterly bewildered, but she crouched obediently. After a few moments she began to feel rather uncomfortable being this close to his legs, but before she could shift The Doctor’s voice rang harshly above her.

“Don’t move! Just tell me if I have two shadows!”

“No,” Sarah Jane mused as she peered through his legs. “Just the one.”

With a cry of utter relief, The Doctor scooped her up and pressed her against his chest.

“What was it, Doctor?” she asked, her voice muffled in The Doctor’s shirt ruffles.

“Later, Sarah. Right now I’m just glad you’re safe!”

Though she didn’t reply, Sarah Jane felt mutually. The Doctor released her soon enough and dimmed the lights a bit for the sake of their vision.

“You can sleep in my bed tonight,” he said when he noticed Sarah wandering listlessly round the room.

Sarah stared at him. “Doctor...”

“You’ll have the utmost of privacy,” he assured her. “I need to make a new screwdriver!”

 

 


End file.
